M eth od of P resen tation: The materials under observation for the most part tend to fo llow the traditional approach in the presenta tion o f both B iblical and extra-B iblical materials. Th e m a jority o f this material is presented in a teacher-cen tered atmosphere b y the use of the story method. H ow ever, variation to this approach is noticed in the W est m inster Press material particu larly. In the open ing pages of the teachers’ quarterlies, suggestions are made as to h ow to use various pu pil activities in teach ing methods. W ith in the fram ework of the d a ily schedule, little refer ence is u sually made to the application o f these activities to the d a ily work. Th is is left to the discretion o f the teacher. R ealizing the lim ited time and energy in pre paration fo r Bible School, the tenden cy is for the teacher to m erely tell the story, then use those activities w h ich w ou ld either recount or re-enforce the material presented. W estm inster Press, for instance, seeks to overcom e this b y lis tin g in a chart, at the beg in n ing o f the material, each story, then in the colum n fo llow in g the recom m ended pu p il activity w h ich assists the ch ild in either learn ing the material or its application. Th ere is a n oticeable emphasis on the use o f visual aids in presentation of Gospel L igh t Press and Scripture Press. Both companies h igh ly recomm end and make available correlated materials in flannelgraph. Scripture Press has correlated their theme in a different m ethod of presentation b y com paring contemporary patriots w ith B iblical characters and m issionary personalities. Th ere is no doubt o f the unexcelled opportunity that V acation Bible School affords the chu rch in reaching boys and girls fo r Christ. It behooves us, therefore, to take great pains in the selection o f materials to be used du ring the summer program . Concerted effort and prayer and careful observation should be the basic principles on w h ich an adequate ch oice can be made. Exam ination packets are available to y ou th rough you r loca l book store for a n om in al fee.
or tw o weeks o f school. Suggestions are made in the materials observed on h ow to accumulate materials needed fo r crafts w h ich w ou ld not necessarily b e pu r chased. W isdom is shown in the« selection o f crafts and variety b y w h ich they m a y be obtained. In this w a y the school can adjust the craft to its Vacation B ible School budget. Several of the teachers’ manuals give a specific list o f materials to be gathered prior to the beg in n ing o f the school to assist in preparation for this area of activity. Others list the materials needed b y the session. T h e H er ald Press does not in clude handwork in the da ily lesson other than w orkbook activities. T h ey do have a section on plans and projects w h ich can be correlated into the program at the discretion o f the B ible School worker. Scripture Press and Great Comm ission Press in clude a section o f handcraft materials w h ich can be purchased a long w ith the curricu lum materials. T h e H erald Press, W estm inster Press and Great Comm ission Press have separate packets o f activity sheets fo r Beginners, Primar ies and Juniors in addition to the pupils’ workbooks. These serve as handcraft fo r the respective curricu lum materials. Un iqu e F eatures: In terms o f numbers Gospel L igh t Press w ou ld head this list. Th is year they have added to their already existing program “ Sing A lo n g ” records correlated w ith the material for each department. T h ey also use a “ Look and L e am ” V isualized H ym n as a teach ing aid in learn in g the theme h ym n for each department’s work. Last year Gospel L igh t Press published a H andcraft E n cyclo pedia correlated to their total V.' B. S. program . T h ey have added this year an En cycloped ia fo r M a k e It Your self Equipm en t. W ith the in ception o f a series of training records on the departmental level, in addition to a film strip used in teacher-training b y several publish ing hous es, Gospel L igh t Press material gives the impression of a trend toward a stronger teacher-centered curriculum . W estm inster Press has a great strength in the opposite direction w ith its emphasis on a pupil-cen tered creative approach beg in n ing at the grade school level. A unique feature appears in Scripture Press theme this year em phasizing an approach b y w h ich the threat of Commun ism can be m et — that o f patriotism to the Lord Jesus Christ.
49
APRIL, 1962
Made with FlippingBook - professional solution for displaying marketing and sales documents online